Please Marry Me (GL) - Chapter 24

The room fell silent, save for the sound of Song Rao pulling up Jiang Yi’s zipper.

Once everything was in order, both Jiang Yi and Song Rao looked toward Shen Siyun—one with cold, distant eyes, the other with a gentle but firm gaze.

Shen Siyun was so angry she laughed. After a brief loss for words, she fixed her stare on Song Rao. Song Rao met her gaze head-on without flinching. “Is Auntie Shen doubting my words?”

“Are you sure you aren’t lying?” Shen Siyun’s lips curled in a sneer. Anyone with eyes could see that Song Rao was driving a wedge between her and Jiang Yi’s trust.

She had always thought this Song Rao was just a wooden academic who only knew how to run experiments. She had clearly underestimated her. To think she dared to play her like this to her face.

“Auntie Shen, what I said is indeed the truth,” Song Rao said helplessly.

It was Jiang Yi who spoke up, taking Song Rao’s hand and leading her toward the door. “Song Rao, ignore her. I believe you. Let’s go eat.”

They left Shen Siyun standing there, her face ashen with rage.

“Okay,” Song Rao followed her steps submissively.

“Was the questions that aunt’s daughter asked you difficult?”

“It was alright. She just didn’t understand some chemical formulas. I gave her a simple explanation.”

“It’s been hard on you, having to teach students even while attending a wedding.”

“It’s no trouble. Our aunt said I brought her a lot of ‘face’.”

“She does like to brag a bit.”

Their conversation grew more distant until it vanished around the corner of the stairs.

Shen Siyun stood in place, took a deep breath, and unclenched her fists. She was about to return to her room when she encountered Xin Wenyue, who was leaning against the doorway, having watched the whole thing.

Xin Wenyue was dressed in her signature “cool girl” style: a grey suit-set with trousers, a deep V-neck long-sleeved top with padded shoulders, and a cinched waist featuring a black elastic panel. A bright, stylish clip was casually pinned to one side of her V-neck, and a silver chain as thick as a finger hung across her chest.

Up close, one could see a black rose tattooed just below the right side of the V-neck.

“Shen Siyun, you really are merciful.” Xin Wenyue shook her head, swinging her sunglasses. “Those two are lording it over you like that, and you’re just taking it?”

Shen Siyun ignored her and walked straight past her into the room.

Xin Wenyue followed her inside. “This really doesn’t look like the Shen Siyun who once drove away a dozen of her father’s mistresses.”

“Close the door.”

Xin Wenyue obliged. Seeing Shen Siyun sit at the computer desk, she hopped onto the tabletop, hooked a chair over with her foot to rest her legs on, and crossed them.

“Shen Siyun, is that little mistress really that important to you? Even though she’s married, you’re still relentlessly insisting she get a divorce.”

“If she divorces, will she really come back to your arms?” Xin Wenyue continued to twist the knife without fear of death.

“Can you say a few less words? I’m frustrated,” Shen Siyun rubbed her temples.

“Ah, predecessors plant the trees, and successors enjoy the shade,” Xin Wenyue leaned back on her hands, gazing up at the ceiling lamp with a sigh.

“You spent the last two years ‘training’ your little mistress, didn’t you? You raised her well, taught her everything, and now Professor Song just swoops in to pick the fruit. Are you really okay with that?”

Xin Wenyue grabbed a can of Wangzai Milk from the side and snapped the tab open.

“They are married,” Shen Siyun closed her eyes. No matter how unwilling she was, she couldn’t break the shackles of morality and law to bully someone. How would that make her any different from a beast?

“People who get married can get divorced.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Waste of breath.

Xin Wenyue smiled. “Your path is getting narrow, Shen Siyun.”

Shen Siyun opened her eyes and turned her head. “What do you mean?”

“Tell me, who can withstand the temptation of money and beauty? Maybe once, but twice? Three times?”

“You want me to be the ‘other woman’?” Shen Siyun’s face was cold.

“Tsk.” Xin Wenyue looked at her with disappointment. “Be more flexible. As the CEO of Jiayu, is your thinking really this limited?”

Seeing her being cryptic, Shen Siyun turned to the wardrobe to get her change of clothes. “Say it or don’t. I don’t care.”

Xin Wenyue let out another tsk. “That Professor Song is quite interesting.”

Shen Siyun paused. She finally knew why Xin Wenyue was being so “helpful.” “The two of them are best friends and childhood friends. You should save your energy. Don’t come crying to me when you lose both face and dignity.”

Having cold water thrown on her, Xin Wenyue shrugged. She didn’t care. She checked the time; dinner should be over by now.

She turned to leave and, as expected, saw Professor Song and Jiang Yi coming up from downstairs.

After the couple closed their door, Xin Wenyue held her can of milk and leisurely walked over to the neighboring door. Knock, knock, knock.

“Jiang Yi, you go wash up first.” Each room on the second floor had an ensuite. Song Rao told her to go first while she answered the door.

“Okay.” Jiang Yi took her clothes inside.

Song Rao opened the door to find the same woman drinking Wangzai Milk. How can someone like that milk so much? Song Rao wondered briefly, then dismissed it as a quirky habit.

“Is something wrong?”

“Mhm. My aunt’s daughter ran into another problem. A very hard one this time. If she can’t solve it, she might not get into university.” Xin Wenyue looked at the woman, who was about her height.

So refined and scholarly. How interesting.

Song Rao was speechless at her seemingly grounded but logically empty words. She didn’t feel like arguing. “Another day. I’m tired.”

She raised her hand to close the door.

Xin Wenyue blocked it. “Won’t Professor Song invite me in for a seat? I have questions for the Professor as well.”

Song Rao knit her brows but couldn’t stop her. She let her in, and Xin Wenyue picked a chair and sat down.

“What questions?”

“I wanted to ask if you’re a professor at the Yingyu Academy of Sciences?” Xin Wenyue sipped her milk. “Do you need research funding? I can invest. Any amount under 100 million can be in your account within three days.”

“I don’t need it. If Miss Xin is feeling charitable, she can donate to a cause.” Song Rao leaned over to pick up Jiang Yi’s high heels to move them to the corner. Unexpectedly, as she straightened up, her elbow accidentally knocked over the Wangzai Milk in Xin Wenyue’s hand.

She looked at the woman whose bodice was now soaked, her gaze complex.

“Is Professor Song always this rude? Not even an apology?”

“Whether I knocked it over or you intentionally moved it into my path, you know best in your heart.” Song Rao handed over the box of tissues from the desk.

“What if I insist you poured it on me on purpose?” Xin Wenyue smiled.

Song Rao adjusted her glasses, unmoved. “You’re here to seek ‘justice’ for Shen Siyun, aren’t you?”

She had just played Shen Siyun an hour ago; now this woman was here with a similar trick. Her intentions were transparent.

“You could put it that way.” Xin Wenyue leaned back and crossed her legs, neither denying nor confirming. “Now, would you rather your wife come out and see me covered in milk, or will you condescend to help me wipe it off?”

Song Rao was extremely uncomfortable with her tone—it was dripping with flirtatious intent. She took a tissue and reached out to wipe her clean.

Xin Wenyue unpinned the bright clip from her V-neck. “There’s more down here. Wipe it thoroughly.”

Song Rao finished wiping the surface of the fabric and was about to withdraw her hand.

“You don’t think the milk only stayed on the surface, do you? There’s more… further down.”

Further down was… her chest.

Song Rao looked up. Indeed, there was more, but given the depth of the woman’s V-neck…

“Then I’ll just wait for your wife to come out and have her wipe it for me.” Xin Wenyue was neither hurried nor annoyed.

Song Rao tightened her jaw, took another tissue, and reached into the side of the V-neck to wipe. A soft, warm sensation met her fingertips. Song Rao’s brow furrowed, and she quickly pulled her hand back.

In that split second, she also caught a glimpse of what was under the neckline—the black rose.

“Please leave.” Song Rao threw the tissue into the wastebasket, her face expressionless as she issued the order to leave.

Xin Wenyue rose elegantly, said “See you tomorrow,” and turned to leave the room.

Not long after she left, Jiang Yi emerged in her pajamas, drying her hair. “I’m done.”

“Then I’ll go in.” Song Rao nodded, taking her clothes into the bathroom.

However, as she was undressing, her hand brushed against something. Song Rao pulled out the object that had been clipped to the hem of her shirt. her eyes darkened.

It was a bright, stylish hair clip—two fingers wide and rectangular.

She almost instinctively recalled the moment Xin Wenyue had unpinned her own clip.

That woman has so many little tricks.

She assumed it was a tactic sent by Shen Siyun to drive a wedge between her and Jiang Yi.

Song Rao didn’t overthink it; she simply tossed it into the bathroom trash can.